By Zach Johnson
The world premiere of Disney’s Jungle Cruise was held where it all began: Disneyland! On Saturday night, stars Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Edgar Ramírez, Jack Whitehall, Veronica Falcón and Raphael Alejandro joined director Jaume Collet-Serra and producers John Davis, Beau Flynn, John Fox, Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia for a walk down the red carpet. “It feels very warm and openhearted. It’s in the spirit of the film,” Blunt said of the splashy soirée. “It’s got this whimsical, old-fashioned feeling. It’s beautiful—I’m so happy.”
Johnson and Blunt arrived via La Quila, the crumbling-but-charming boat seen in the film. And there was no better venue for the event than Disneyland, as the film is inspired by its theme park ride. According to Collet-Serra, “It’s a memory we’ll have for a long, long time.”
Fans have eagerly been awaiting the release of Disney’s Jungle Cruise, and Saturday’s premiere marked the first time the cast and crew watched the film with an audience. “It’s been a long journey for me and for the cast,” said Collet-Serra. “Like Dwayne says, ‘It’s the adventure of a lifetime.’ And it has been for all of us involved.” Ramírez, who plays Aguirre, echoed Collet-Serra’s sentiment, saying, “It’s been such a ride for everyone… It’s been an adventure in itself just getting to this point. We’re very happy and we’re very, very excited.”
Whitehall, who plays MacGregor Houghton, agreed that having the world premiere at Disneyland felt special. “The scale of it is something else. I’ve never been to anything like this,” he said. “It feels like a really perfect place to put this movie out there into the world.”
“The fact that this day has finally come is great,” continued Whitehall. “It’s so nice that fans are able to be here and we’re not doing this virtually over Zoom. It’s actually happening! There are people here, and we’re going to be sharing it and watching it on the big screen.”
Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse wore their best safari attire for the event, and other famous guests in attendance included Clark Gregg, Tiffany Haddish, AJ McLean, Simu Liu, Marsai Martin, John Stamos, Lindsey Vonn, Disney Legend Ming-Na Wenn and Nina West.
Releasing simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access on July 30, Disney’s Jungle Cruise is an adventure-filled, rollicking thrill-ride down the Amazon with wisecracking skipper Frank Wolff (Johnson) and fearless botanist Dr. Lily Houghton (Blunt). Lily is determined to find an ancient tree—one with unparalleled healing abilities that possess the power to change the future of medicine. Thrust on this epic quest together, Frank and Lily encounter countless dangers and supernatural forces, all lurking in the deceptive beauty of the lush rainforest. As the secrets of the ancient tree unfold, the stakes become even higher as Lily and Frank’s fate—and mankind’s—hangs in the balance.
Before Disney’s Jungle Cruise is released, enjoy more photos from the premiere:
